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"You can't say, 'I can have a couple of drinks on a Saturday night.' The answer is no. You must stay off it completely."

"Even if your liver cancer isn't caused by alcohol, it still applies because the new liver going in needs everything going for it and not any alcohol."

Senator Hinch, 72, underwent a liver transplant in 2011 to replace the cancerous, cirrhotic organ that was slowly killing him.

In 2008 he vowed to give up alcohol.

Statistics from Transplant Australia show that 264 liver transplants were carried out in 2015.

The organisation warns prospective transplant patients that if their liver disease was caused by alcohol or if alcohol contributed to their liver disease, they must never drink alcohol again.

Its information manual for patients says moderate alcohol consumption may damage the new liver.

However, transplant recipients "may have an alcoholic beverage to celebrate special occasions" as long as they limit their intake to one to two glasses of wine or champagne or one to two glasses of beer.

REQUIREMENTS FOR LIVER TRANSPLANTS

• Irreversible, progressive liver disease

• Liver disease that fails to respond to all medical and surgical treatment